Police Sunday arrested senior resistance leader and Chairman Salvation Movement Zaffer Akbar Bhat when he was on the way to attend funeral prayers of martyr Raqib Bashir at Pulwama who was killed in an encounter at Gundpora.In a statement issued to KNS, Salvation Movement spokesman strongly condemned the detention of Akbar Bhat. “A heavy contingent of police intercepted the vehicle of Akbar Bhat on Srinagar-Pulwama road and arrested the leader who was scheduled to lead the funeral prayers of martyr Raqib Bashir,” he said. He said that forces earlier raided the residence of Akbar Bhat but he was not present at home and detaining him on the way, police shifted him to Chanapora police station.Spokesman termed the police action an act of state terrorism said that such oppressive, repressive and undemocratic tact’s can’t crush the ongoing freedom struggle.He said that freedom sentiment is deep rooted in Kashmir and hence oppressive tact’s can’t yield any results.
Meanwhile, a delegation comprising Rather Mehraj u din, Beigh Aijaz, Javeed Ahmad, Muzaffar Malik, Zulfikar Hamid and other party leaders managed to reach Zadoora and attend the funeral of Raqib Bashir.Leaders paid glowing tributes to martyr and pledged to take the mission of martyrs to its logical conclusion. They also lead the anti-India demonstration on the occasion. According to the party spokesman, Akbar Bhat urged Kashmiris to observe complete shutdown on 9th and 11th February, ‘martyrdom anniversaries’ of Mohammad Afzal Guru and Mohammad Maqbool Bhat.Paying tributes to two great martyrs who were hanged and buried in India’s Tihar Jail in false and baseless cases, Akbar Bhat asked India to return the mortal remain of both the martyrs without any further delay.He urged people to observe complete shutdown on the martyrdom anniversaries of both the martyrs as mark of protest to let the world know that Kashmiris want freedom from Indian illegal occupation.He said that Shaheed Muhammad Maqbool Bhat and Afzal Guru are shining stars of our resistance history that their sacrifices will keep illuminating our struggle and resistance.Bhat also paid glowing tributes to Shaheed Raqib Bashir expressed sympathy with the family. (KNS)